Author: ARTHUR PAUL BOWEN
The Clinton Presidential Center provided a most agreeable venue for the second night of the 2012-13 Parker Lexus River Rhapsodies, which features chamber music performed by members of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
“Duos” consisted of works for duet string players by Mozart, Rossini, English composer Frank Bridge and Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly. The program was ably performed by cellist David Gerstein, violinists Andrew Irvin and Geoffrey Robson, violists Tatiana Kotcherguina and Ryan Mooney, along with bassist Barron Weir.
The program led off with Mozart’s Duo No. 1 in G for Violin and Viola, K. 423. The dynamic interplay between Irvin and Mooney was very nice. Their performance is proof that allegro doesn’t mean “play fast.” Conversely, adagio can be played with energy. The duo’s impeccable technique produced a very nice sonorous tone, particularly from Mooney.
Rossini’s Duetto for Cello and Bass proved to be quite the crowd pleaser despite being something of an odd duck musically. Still, the piece requires the performers to display the extreme ranges of both instruments and gave Weir’s bass the rare opportunity to slug it out note-for-note with Gerstein‘s cello.
Kodaly’s Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7 offered up by Robson and Gerstein was rhapsodic and lyrical in equal measure, particularly in the piece’s first movement. The entrance to the second movement was especially lovely and proof again that adagio can be rendered as propulsive and powerful.
The Lament for Two Violas by Bridge, more widely known at one time as the tutor of Benjamin Britten, was nothing short of exquisite. The interplay between Kotcherguina and Mooney featured the art of dissonance rendered hauntingly beautiful by the two of them.
A beautiful night with wonderful and challenging music performed by superb musicians, right here under our noses.